SULLIVAN COUNTY. 



FURNISHED BY JOHN S. WALKER, ESQ. 



This flourishing society was organized in February, 1848, 

 and was one of the first established in the State, under the 

 impulse of the modern movement for improved agriculture. 

 Anciently, when Sullivan was a part of Cheshire, some forty 

 or fifty years ago, there was a Cheshire County Agricultu- 

 ral Society, and it is a notable circumstance that one of the 

 Presidents of that old organization, Isaac Hubbard, Esq., 

 of Claremout, was the first elected president of the society. 

 It is equally worthy of remark, that the venerable gentle- 

 man is still, (April 1, 1857,) living on his noble estate over- 

 looking the Connecticut River, in the enjoyment of a hearty 

 and tolerably vigorous old age, eighty six or seven win- 

 ters having passed over his head, and surrounded by all 

 that can cheer his pathway down the decline of life. 



The first fair, under the new organization, was held at 

 Claremont, and was a gratifying success, showing that the 

 people were very willing to exchange the old-time farce of 

 the annual militia training, for something more useful and 

 improving. The farmers and mechanics of the entire county, 

 with their wives and their sons and daughters, seemed to 

 turn out en masse to give eclat to the festival, and fitly in- 

 augurate the new society. Never before was such a crowd 

 of the substantial population of the county convened to- 

 gether. The display of cattle was very large in num- 

 bers, and respectable in merit. There were specimens of 

 improved breeds, Durliams, Devons and Ayrshires, present, 

 which had but recently been brought into the county, and 



